Stick welding electrodes are used in a variety of welding applications. Stick electrodes are comprised of a metal alloy rod, typically made of low alloy steel or stainless steel, over which a coating is applied that includes various chemicals included to enhance the welding process. In fabricating coated stick welding electrodes, the metal rod is precut into sticks of a predetermined length, and a metal alloy powder is mixed with a silicate binder solution, which is then extruded onto the precut rods to provide the electrode coating. In use, the stick electrode material composition and construction has an impact on the finished weld joint, where surface defects such as cracks in the electrode coating layer can adversely affect the performance of the electrode and the finished weld. Ferroalloy powders are commonly employed in making the coatings of stick electrodes, where metal silicon is often found in the exposed outer surfaces of the powder grains. The powder is mixed with a caustic silicate binding solution to form a slurry for application to the outer surfaces of the precut welding rods. However, the metal silicon of the ferroalloy powder is highly reactive to the caustic binder solution, resulting in the release of gases that lead to weakened and/or fractured coatings. Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for reducing the reactivity of ferroalloys, such as ferroalloy powders used in manufacturing coated stick electrodes, so as to mitigate or avoid cracking or other coating defects.